I am based at Queensbury and bird a patch approx 7 mile by 7 mile incorporating 10 stretches of water, several plantations, a belt of woodland and good areas of moorland. I specialize in visible migration , upland birds and sky watching.Any reports can be sent by text or call to 07771 705024 or see profile for e mail address.
All images on this blog are copyright.(2017).

WELCOME TO ( WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING )

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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Drove on to the north end and walked down the hill but couldnt get within decent range as the 100+ gulls were very fidgity. I could see dog walkers approaching along the opposite banking so stayed put and scoped before it was too late. Two birds stood out from the crowd, one being a 3rd year Yellow Legged gull with full grey mantle apart from a band of brown mottling, its legs being pale yellow. The second bird was a bit of a mish mash adult Herring gull hybrid type with a very pale mantle, herring gull head yet bright yellow legs.By this time the walkers were nearer the birds which started lifting off and either moving away or landing in the water. Within 5 minutes all the gulls had left flying over the nab towards TMR.8 Redshank were also present and several Swifts.BS

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

A quick look at the Dailies at mid day in between the showers found a nice cloudy sky with clear visibility, a real moving sky if it had been another month on.Several Swifts were moving in no particular direction as well as Swallows which were over the new mown fields.7 LBB gulls headed >N up the aire valley and 2 Greylag geese headed >NW in the distance probably passing over Fly Flatts air space.The Hawthorns held the usual Willow Warblers and tits whilst 16 Linnets were on the gorse bushes, the main of them being juvs.Unusual to see a Grey Squirrel at the entrance which quickly disappeared up the nearest tree.Went back to work topped up and ready for the weekend.BS

A fresher day today with some good grey moving skies although very little in them.LBB gulls were moving >W early morning but this soon fizzled out and nothing else of note was seen, hence the photos.Unfortunately yesterdays 2 Ruff had moved from Fly Flatts but well done to NK for making the effort to walk all the way from Queensbury up there to check them out, thats one hell of a dedicated birder.BS

Monday, June 27, 2011

A scorching hot day with the temperature up to 29 in the garage. Gladly by late afternoon we were gifted with grey skies, a good breeze and a few specks of rain which brought the Swifts over on mass. As I walked home from work 150+ Swifts came over all >SW which was probably a feeding party skirting around the weather.
This evening at Shelf Moor Swifts were still moving over >W but in lower numbers and LBB gulls were also moving across >W.
Being selfish I hope thats the last of the heat waves this year.
BS

A quick look on Soil Hill found as expected, a few Skylarks and Mipits and that was it, no gulls were present near the NK pond.
Unfortunately the hill is now destroyed as a habitat and it will be a long time before the summit starts producing again.
Down at the watchpoint Lbbs were coming through the col both south and north although viewing was a problem looking into the hot sun.
68 LBBs were scoped on the wall at TMR and 3 were by Mixenden res.
Hay bailing was taking place on the western side of the hill so this attracted several corvids.

Coming home the 3 minute journey took me 30 minutes stuck in a queue down Perseverence rd due to a serious car accident near the Raggalds with one car on its side and occupants trapped whilst Fire Engines,Ambulances and ever police car in Bradford arrived along with the air ambulance landing in the field.
Anyway, the good news is , the gulls are coming back.

Fly Flatts 0715-0945hrs.What seemed like a good start soon materialized into a disasterous mornings birding.On arrival there was a good grey sky with scud clouds lifting but unfortunately this soon broke into an uplands birders nightmare with brilliant blue sky and baking sunshine along with a strong W>5.As if that wasnt enough windsurfers started arriving early taking advantage of the weather and a dog walker had his dog running along the north shore getting rid of the gulls before I had chance to get on and check them out.On top of that I spent half an hour trying to get a lamb back into the field but try as me and another dog walker may there was no way we could get it back through the gate, it looks so easy on one man and his dog!.Amongst all that I got a bit of birding in though the skies were empty as well as the water apart from a mass of Canada Geese.9 Twite were at the feeding station, some being juvs, along with 1 Wheatear. 6 LBBs were briefly on the n shore before heading off >N and waders comprised of 2 Oystercatchers and 6 Common Sandpipers, one being a juv.Left early and thought Id call at Cold Edge only to find some sort of gala there, oh well, I may pick up Nigels YL gull if I get chance to attack Soil Hill later this p.m.BS

Saturday, June 25, 2011

With gulls now on the move its time to start watching for Yellow Legged Herring gulls through July and August, sparked off by NKs possible at Soil Hill today, see Queensburybirder.
It was 11th July last year when gulls arrived back at Ogden,thats according to my records, with Black Headeds, and LBBs closely followed by Commons.
Unless Ive missed something there were no records of local YL gulls last year but a Yellow Legged Gull was reported by NK on the Raggalds Flood 17/07/09 and again, or a differant bird, on the 30/07/09 NK.
My last record of Yellow Legged was 27/08/08 on the west shoreline, Ogden and in previous years Ive had several July sightings at TMR.
Hope that low cloud base lifts by morning!
BS

Friday, June 24, 2011

A good breeding program for the garage this year both in the conifers and climbing plants.1 pair of Crows have raised 2 young , Magpies have raised 1 young and House Sparrows, Dunnock , Blackbird and Robin have all produced young around the car park area.Woodpigeon, Collared Dove and Greenfinch all tried but moved on unsuccessful.

Got 2 rare birds over the garage today in the form of House Martins which were once common around here but this year are nearly none existent. The regular annual nest behind the house remains empty , the first time for several years.Is this a general thing or just this area?BS

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Bright intervals today but some torrential showers, some long lasting which wont have done the Fly Flatts shoreline any favours.
A few sightings of moving birds today but possibly just working around the weather fronts.
4 Pied Wagtails flew over the garage early a.m. >SW closely followed by a very high Cormorant moving in the same direction.
Mid day 2 Common gulls flew over the village >NW along with 5 LBBs.
A single Linnet was singing in Foxhill park at lunch time.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A better day today with sunshine and dark skies but little in the way of rain.
The goal posts in Foxhill park have been taken down for the summer and both the top and bottom football pitch has been re seeded making an ideal feeding station for the birds.
At lunch time the top pitch held 7 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, 6 Linnet, 2 Pied Wagtails and 5 Feral Pigeons as well as numerous young Starlings and House Sparrows. Its a shame its not autumn, who knows what would drop in.
Gull numbers are increasing slightly each evening with mainly LBBs and a few Black Headed heading east over Queensbury probably aiming for Eccup reservoir.
BS

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Been highly satisfied with my Fuji s 8000 18x camera for the last 3 years so jumped in and got thenew Fuji HS10 which has an amazing 30x zoom equivalent to SLR 720mm. It seems well stabilized and, althoughit cant match a slr, for a look and shoot it should do the job, time will tell. I,ll still carry my 8000 about during the week all the time as its less bulky than the new one but as the Ospreys come over Fly Flatts this autumn Ill be waiting !BS

Dark skies and sunshine over Bradford from FoxhillThe longest day,felt like it at work today too.

A day of sunshine and showers which seemed to stir things up a bit.Several Swifts were moving >S at midday whilst LBBs were moving in the opposite direction >N.Goldfinch and Greenfinch were showing in good numbers around Foxhill park and the resident Crows have bred again for the 8th year with 2 young in tow, one is already showing white wing bars which is the norm from this pair.A passing visit to the Tawny Owl site drew a blank for the third visit now, perhaps its just bad timing or the young have left the nest ?BS